College Basketball

The No. 15 rating in the AP Poll is the highest ranking for Carolina since being ranked No. 14 in the final AP Poll of the 1997-98 season.  The last time the Gamecocks were ranked in the regular season top-25 was Week 15 (Feb. 13, 2017) during the 2016-17 Final Four season. Carolina was 20-5 and ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll and No. 19 in the Coaches Poll. Head coach Lamont Paris has led the team to a 19-3 overall record and a 7-2 start in SEC play this season. It’s the team’s best start since Carolina began the season 19-3 in 2015-16 and it’s just the fourth time the Gamecocks have started league play 7-2 or better since entering the SEC in 1991-92.